At most fast food joints, burgers are created with pre-made patties that are sent from food factories. However, Burger Parlor guarantees that its burgers are 100 percent hormone-free and freshly grinded daily, conveying that the restaurant truly cares about the quality of each meal.

With these expectations in mind, my family and I headed to the parlor, located in downtown Fullerton, to try signature dishes from its menu.

The bright lights greeted me when I walked through the front doors of Burger Parlor. The neon burger sign and brick storefront  in the front of the shop added to the restaurant’s overall  retro, modern ambiance.

Although the restaurant was packed, the lines were relatively short with two cashiers manning the front. The kitchen behind the counter allowed me to see the food being made, while also giving me a whiff of the tantalizing burgers.

I ordered the classic Parlor burger, which contained American cheese, lettuce, oven roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions and a secret sauce, for $8.99.

The portion sizes were decent, and the food both tasted delicious and looked aesthetic. The combination of the meat, diced tomatoes, shreds of lettuce and cheese on the Parlor Burger blended well. Although the meat was well-done, the patty was still juicy and provided a salty and flavorful overall taste without having to add sauce. 

 I was dissatisfied with the vegetable toppings in the Parlor, as the patty masked the flavor of the vegetables. However, I enjoyed the fact that they caramelized the onions as it took away the pungent taste, while still providing some texture to the burger.

In addition, my family ordered the gluten and carb free Burger Bowl salad for $8.90, the Vegan Portland Burger for $8.95 and the Friday Special Goat Cheese Burger for $10.49.

The Burger Bowl was embellished with arugula, iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, bacon bits and a hamburger placed on top with Danish blue dressing. The dish had a tender patty that made the  meal filling. Additionally, while I am not a fan of blue cheese, the ingredient didn’t overpower the flavors of the other ingredients in the meal, such as the crunchy bacon bits and spicy carrot slices.

The Portland burger included marinated beets, fried mozzarella, sprouts, arugula, pickled carrots, tomato and herb sauce. Overall, the Portland had great texture, as the crunchy beets provided pleasant contrast to the soft patty.

The Goat Cheese Burger, on the other hand, was filled with smoked bacon, roasted portobello mushrooms, port wine onions, goat cheese, arugula and chipotle aioli. The burger was very flavorful and yielded a sharp tang from the goat cheese. I also was delighted with the crunchy texture of the bacon, but I did not like how fatty the burger tasted overall due to the abundance of cheese and bacon pieces.

The shop also offers various sides such as fries and onion rings. At the recommendation of our cashier, we also ordered two sides of fries for $2.95 each and one side of onion rings for $3.95.  

I thoroughly enjoyed the fries, which had a crunchy texture and paired well with the restaurant’s rather sour house ketchup, which tasted similar to cocktail sauce. I also loved  the onion rings, which were well battered, providing each bite with a crunchy and satisfying taste.

The delicious meal satisfied my hunger and left me content overall. The employees were very polite, and the cozy ambiance of the restaurant left me satisfied throughout the meal.

Although the burgers seemed too pricey at the beginning, Burger Parlor definitely lived up to its title of best burger in Orange County. The unique flavors of the burger left me wanting more, and I definitely look forward to coming back another time to try other dishes the restaurant offers.